Ball winding machine



Nov. 24, 1953 P. REKETTYE BALL wINmNG MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet l FiledJuly 3, 1951 S nu m Mr /J N R. w.. 7 0 n n A L U OO- M Nov. 24, 1953 P.REKETTYE 2,660,379

BALL WINDING MACHINE Filed July 3, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.PAUL REKETTYE Nov. 24, 1953 P. REKETTYE BALL WINDING MACHINE 5Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 5 1951 Nov. 24, 1953 P. REKETTYE 2,660,379

BALL, WINDING MACHINE f Filed July 5, 1951 5 sheets-sheet 4 Nov. 24,1953 P. REKETTYE 2,660,379

BALI.. WINDING MACHINE Filed July 5, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.PAUL REKE T TYE BY (27V A TTORNE YS `of the invention is shown:

Patented Nov. 24, 1953 BALL WIN DIN G MACHINE Paul Rekettye, Akron,Ohio, assignor to The Sun Rubber Company, Barberton, Ohio, a corporationof Ohio Application. July 3, 1951, Serial No. 235,042

9 Claims. l

The present invention relates to the manufactureof play balls or otherspherical objects in which a layer or layers of cord or iilament areWound about the center or core of the ball. Specifically, it is intendedfor wrapping layers of cord about a kapok center such as employed in themanufacture of baseballs of the hard or soft variety. These balls aregenerally made of a compressed center of kapok or the like, over whichare applied two cord layers, the rst being a Winding of a dual heavycord and the second a Winding of a single finer cord. The cord layersare Wound under considerable tension and the winding must be evenlyapplied Aso that the nished ball is a true sphere.` It is also necessarythat the exact amount of cord be applied in each wrapping so that theiinished balls are all of uniform size. The machine showny and describedherein will perform the Winding operations so that every requirement fora perfect ball will be met. After the ball is Wound, the cover is placedthereon. i

The machineis designed so that after the correct amount of Winding hasbeen applied to the ball, the rotation of the ball and the winding willbe stopped. The machine is adapted to operate upona plurality of .ballslat the same time, and the operation is conducted so that the stoppage inwinding of the several balls will occur ina regular order so that thecompletion of the Winding operation on one lball Will not affect theothers and the operator may take out one ball at a time and replace itwith anevv center While the Winding of the other ballskcontinues. I,

In the proposed form of the invention shown and described herein, themachine. is made in two parts, each of which Willbe given to Windingpart ofthe invention as theprinciples thereof may be applied to a singleball Windingoperationf It will also be understood that the machine is,notV

The invention is shown in its preferred operative form, but changes,modifications and irnprovements may be made therein Without in any Waydeparting from the principles of the invention. Y f y In the drawings,in Vwhich the'preferred form Fig. 1 is a plan vievv of the perfectedform of .the machine Which is f the types of cord windings. Y

Fig. 2 is an end View of the machine, the locadual type for both' 2 tionof the view being shown by the section line 2 2 on Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of one side of the machine, the location ofthe View being indicated by the section line 3 3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the traversing mechanism, this Viewbeing taken on the line 5 4 of Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through one of the ball cradles, this viewbeing taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5 showing one of the cordtensioning devices.

Fig. 7 is a developed View of the cam track which governs the movementoi the traversing mechanism Which in turn governs the shifting of theplane of rotation of the ball in the cradle.

Fig. 8 is a section along the traversing shaft on v the une s-s of Fig.1.

ond Wrappingof finer cord at 3, and the'cover at A;

In describing the machine, the right hand side is chosen for detaileddescription, it being understood that both sides of the .machine arealike. It will be understood that while the right hand side oi themachine is shovvn4 for the dual cord,A

- either side may be used for single or dual' Wrap,-

v one type of cord layer, but this is not an essential ping. In Fig. 1,the extreme right hand ball holding cradle is shown in its outer orretractedcondition, as itwould appear when the'winding operationen thatball is completed.' Allof the cradles Will, under usual `operatingconditions, .move to thisouter positionin series, j asthe individualwindingoperations'are"completed.

The vmachine comprises a bedpl'ate l0 which extends across` the wholemachine andv issupported at its Vcorners by uprights l li rAngle ironbeams l2 are attached to the upper ends of the uprights l l and midwayof the-uprights is located a horizontal platform I4. y Across the frontofthe machine is a cover plate i3 which is removed Vin switch i9 locatedat a convenient point on the front of the machine.

At either side of the machine are located the two brackets 20, in whichare housed bearings for a long horizontal shaft 22. One end of thisshaft is extended toward the center of the machine and to this end ofthe shaft is attached a sprocket 24 over which is trained the chain 25which passes around a sprocket 26 located on the end of a shaft 21mounted in bearing brackets 28 on the platform I4. A chain 38, trainedover sprocket 39 on the end of shaft 21 and over sprocket 40 on thearmature of motor |il, drives the shaft 22 through the connectionsrecited to rotate the traversing shaft 'in the direction of the arrow inFig. 2. On the shaft 21 is iixed the pulley 30 which, through the belt3| and pulley 32, drives a variable speed transmission of any preferredcommercial type located on the platform I4 and given the referencenumeral 33. This output speed from the transmission unit is controlledby the rotation of shaft 34 connected -by a universal joint tothe shaft35 of hand wheel 35. The driven shaft of the variable speed transmissiondrives pulley 31, which, through belt li-I, drives the pulley 42 on acountershaft 54 located lin bearings 45 mounted on the lrear of platform4. On the end of shaft 44 is a sprocket 4G which, 'through chain 41 andsprocket d8, drives the shaft 50 of the traversing cam, as will bedescribed.

Returning now to the shaft 22. which may be designated as the traversingshaft: vSeated in the shaft 22, near the ends thereof, are two keys v52and 53, located on opposite sides of the shaft for balancing purposes.rlhe key 52, which'is remote from the sprocket, is surrounded by acollar 54 which is keyed to the shaft through the key 52 and'slidesthereon. Force iitted about'the collar is a sleeve 55, the outer surfaceof which is'formed with a groove 51 in which the traversing leverengages. The inner face of the sleeve is formed with an annular ledge 59which forms a seat for one end of the central traversing drum orcylinder '60.

The other key 53 is surrounded by a sliding collar 62 similar -to thecollar 54, and over 'this collar is force fitted a second sleeve G3provided with the seat 64 to receive the other end' of drum 'Ihe drum 60is welded to the sleeves 55 and 63'so that it rotates with the shaft 22and moves -to and fro thereon as it is reciproca-ted by the Vtraversingcam andlever. An oil hole SB is provided in the drum through which oilis introduced tothe interior of the drum'. Along the surface ofthe drumare located the roughened areas 6B, equal to the number ofl cradlesvonthat side of the machine. 'The Toughened areas are sufficient extent sothat during the entire reciprocating movementV of the drum theseveralballs will be ,in contact with their respective roughened areas.

, A On therear of the topY plate l, opposite the groovedsleeve 55, islocated a vhousing 10 which forms ybearings for the shaft 5|? and whichalso houses ther traversing cam 12. The surface of thecam is cut with acamgroove 14, the configuration of which is carefully calculated andlaid outso that the balls will turn in their cradles so as to presentdifferent positions with respect to the on-coming thread, which, incombination with the rolling of the balls in thecradles, will lay thecord wrapping evenly and uniformly over the Ysurfaceof the` ball. Thecam groove, as it has been developed,` is shown in detail in Fig. '1

and it'will be found that in the machine vas de- 4 signed this form ofcam groove will turn the ball on one axis while it is being rolled aboutthe other axis, in such manner that the cord layers are regularly andevenly applied, with no high or low spots on the ball.

The housing is cut away at the top so as to receive one end of a rockinglever 15 having a roller 15 which vtracks in the groove 14, a coverplate 18 on the housing keeping the roller in the groove.

The central part or fulcrum of the lever 15 rests in a channel found inthe top of a pivot block 8B. A bolt 8| passing through a slot 82 in thelever holds the lever in the pivot block. The block has a downwardlyextending pin 84 which rocks in a bearing sleeve 85 fitted in the upperarm of a bracket 8B. The lower end of the pin 84 is threaded to receivethe lock nuts 38 bearing against the interposed Washer 88. The base ofthe bracket 86 rests on the top of the bed plate ID, to which it isAheld by bolts 9| passing through the base 'of the bracket and throughslots 93 in the bed plate to be threaded into a clamping plate 94bearing against the under side of the bed plate. The adjustmentsprovided at the fulcrum point of the lever 15 and at the base of thebracket permit the fulcrum point to be shifted so as to vary theeffective throw of the lever, which in turn varies the extent of theendwise movement of the traversing drum. This adjustment is necessary toenable the machine to operate upon balls of varyingV diameters. The twosides 'of the machine will have 'somewhat different locations for thepivot point 8d as the second winding operation will be performed on aball. of initially greater diameter than the initial diameter of theball in the rst winding operation. Also, this adjustment makes itpossible to wind balls of a 'wide range of sizes.

To the outer end of lever 15 is welded a fork 96, the arms of whichembrace the end of the traversing drum at the sleeve 56. Rollers 98,projecting inwardly from the fork, engage the groove 51 to shift thedrum back and forth along the shaft 2'2 during its rotation.

, In the machine which is illustrated, six balls will be wound at thesame time, vthree on one side of the machine and three on the otherside, but the machine may be adapted for winding any number of ballssimultaneously. Six ball wind ing operations are suicient to keep asingle operator busy at one machine.

Each ball is held ina cradle |95, in the side of which toward the drumis formed a socket |01 to receive a portion of the ball. The ball restis completed by a replaceable plate or lip |02 held by bolts |93 on themain body of the cradle.

The configuration of the complete socket is such Vthat the ball willrotate therein andwillstay in the' socket during the winding operation.Each cradle I 00 is provided with a downwardly extending arm |54 whichis pvoted on a pin |05 extending across the arms of a fork |08, whichspan the arm |54. The fork |08 is formed on the upper endof the shortervertical arm of an L-shaped lever lill, the horizontal arm of whichextends to the rear of the machine. As shown in Fig. 1, the inner leverlim of each set is offset so as to avoid the drive mechanism for theshaft Q4. Each lever |18 (o'r l'liia) is'pivoted at the angle of thelever on a pin H2 extending across the forked'end of an angular bracketH4, the outline of which is shown'in Fig. 5.V The bracket is secured tothe face of the beam 'I2 'by bolts ||5, the beam being notched at 3 toreceive the lever H0.

When the cradle is in winding position, with the ball B in contact withthe traversing drum Sil, the plane of the cradle is at right angles tothe vertical arm of the lever H9, but when the lever is operated toremove the cradle to its open position the cradle will pivot about thecenter |05 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2,

so that the nnished ball may be removed and a new core put in place. Theposition of the cradle is controlled by a short link |22), the outer endof which is pivoted at |2| to the lower end of arm |04 and the inner endto a plate |22 fixed to the bed plate.

The cord C, which is shown to the right of Fig. 3 as a dual cord comingfrom two spools D through a guiding eye |25 attached to a convenientpart of the machine, here shown as the lower side of bracket Ilfl,passes through a tensioning mechanism itil and through a hole |2S in thebase of the cradle to the ball. The tensioning mechanism may be of anydesired type, that shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings being composed of twodisk |28 which are yieldingly pressed together against a shoulder 29 ona pin ISS set in the end of the arm H9 just below the cradle. |32 on theend of the pin places the requisite tension on the cord. A duplicatetensioning mechanism |34 may be provided if found desirable.

The inner end of each lever arm I@ carries an adjustable Weight 35 whichis movable along the arm and is held in adjusted position by the springoperated pin |36 set in the lower part of the weight, with its pointedend engaging one of the several notches |31 along the arm.

The extreme inner end of the lever llt is received in the vertical slotI4! of a block or stirrup ist, which is threaded onto the upper end of apiston rod |42 connected to the piston of a double-acting pressurecylinder |44, which is attached by brackets |45 to a plate ist depending from the rear'cf the bed plate Hl. A solenoid operated valve i118located on the platform I!! beneath each cylinder controls the flow ofair under pressure to the sides of the piston. The upper limit to whichthe end of the lever arms can move in the slotltl is governed by a longset screw |25 threaded into the tcp of the block hlt and extendingthrough a hole |5| in the bed plate, the upper end .of the set screwhaving an operatingknob |52.

Each individual solenoid valve |43 is controlled and operated to admitair to the cylinder A coil spring i3! confined by the nut ist to raisethe bloei; Uli! and thus rock the levver Hi? and shift the cradle to itsoutward position by any standard form of timing mechanimm foreach cradleshown in Fig.,2 at |56. Details of the timer are not shown as theseinstrumentalities vare welllrnown, it being suiiicient to say that atthe end of a period set so as to complete the winding operation on thatball, the timer will actuate the solenoid valve and rock the lever llil, which shifts the ball out of con#- tact with the drum til.

When the operator has removed the wound ball from each cradle, he cutsVthe cord` and then after applying a few wraps of the cord by hand aboutanew ball or core he places'that ball in the cradle and presses thebutton |5i, which is connected to that timer circuit. Pressing theswitch l 55 resets the timer and, at the same time, reverses thecylinder MA and lowers the block |40. The weight |35 `will rock thelever IIU, which'brings the ball into contact with the drum 60, restoresthe cradle to its upright position, and the winding operation startsimmediately. The slot Mil permits the lever to move independently of theblock IM as the winding on theball builds up.

It is believed that the operation cf the machine will be `clear from theforegoing and a brief resume will be sufiicient. When the machine isidle, all of the cradles are in their outermost position, ready toreceive a ball or ball core. The several set screws |58 are adjusted forthe initial diameters of the balls which are to be placed in the cradlesconnected therewith, and the weight |35 is located to set the requiredpressure of the ball against the drum. The operator starts the motor bythe switch I9 and the drum 60 starts to revolve idly and to be movedback and forth by the traversing cam. The operator makes the preliminarywrap of cord about a ball and places it in one of the cradles. He thenpressesthe switch button |56 for that cradle and the valve |48 lowersthe block Ilm, which, with the weight |35, rocks the lever Il!) andmoves the cradle Vto Winding position with the ball held by the weightagainst the roughened area t5 on the drum. vAt the same time, the timeris reset and starts its operation, and when the timer has completed itspredetermined cycle, the cylinder |44 is reversed by the solenoid valve|48 and the lever l0 is raised, removing the` ball from contact with thedrum, which stops the winding operation. During' the winding operation,the ball is rotated in the cradle by the rotation of the drum and at thesame time the plane of rotation is being constantly shifted by the camcontrolled reciprocation of the drum. The combined movements create aneven and uniform winding of the ball, the depth of each winding beingcontrolled by the predetermined time cycle. 'Y

As the nrst ball starts its winding, the operator places another ball inits cradle and starts that operation, and so on down the line ofcradles. As the last ball is placed in position, the first oneris readyto come off the machine, but even if the operator is not ready to take aball' out of the machinelat thetirne that cradle is moved outwardly, noharm is done as the wound ball is no longer rotated.

It will be seen that an extremely enicient machine has been devised forthe purpose and that the operation of the machine creates accurateanduniforrn winding. The few adjustments that are required are easilymastered and the machine is capable of long operation withoutattentiorronl LA ball winding machine comprising' anr elongated drummeans to rotate' the drum,

means to reciprocate the on its axis ,during rotation, a plurality ofarms, one 'of which is located adjacent each drum, an open cradle oneach arm in'which aball may freely rotate, yielcling means acting oneach. arm to `hold a ball in its cradle-in contact with the drum,individual time controlled means acting on each armto shift' the arm andseparate the balll carriedtheref by out of contact withthe drum,r andmeansto l vfeed cord to thev'balls in the several cradles.;-4 f

2. A ball Winding machine comprising an elongateddrum, means to rotatethe drum, means to reciprocate the drum on its axis during rotation, a'.plurality of arms located adjacent each drum, an open cradle on each armin which a ball may freelyrotate, yielding means acting on each arm tohold a ball in its cradle in contact with the drum, means to shift eacharm to bring the ball thereon into contact with the drum, individualtime controlled means acting on each arm to shift'the arm and separatethe ball carried thereby out of contact with the drum, and means to feedcord to the balls in the several cradles.

3; A ball winding machine comprising an elongated ball winding drum,means to rotate the and at the same time to reciprocate it axially, apivoted lever in the machine having one lend thereof adjacent the drum,a cradle on that end of the lever having a socket to receive a ball,yielding means acting on the lever to hold the ball in contact with thedrum, and means to rock the lever about its pivot to remove the ballfromY the drum at the end of the winding operation, said meanscomprising a block having a slot therein of sufficient extent to allowthe lever to rock independently of the block as the ball increases indiameter, power meansv to move the block sufficiently to rock the'leverand move the ball out of contact with the drum and time controlled-meansto actuate the power means.

4. A ball winding machine comprising an elongated ball winding drum,means to rotate the drumV and at the same time to reciprocate itaxially, a pivoted lever in the machineV having one endtherecfadjacentthedrum, a cradle on that end ofthe lever having a socket to receiveaball, apivotal mounting for-the cradle in the end of the lever, a linkconnecting one end of the cradle to the machine, yielding means actingon the lever to hold the ball in contact'with the drum, andmeans to rockthe lever about its pivot to remove the ball from the drum at the end oftheV winding operation, said means comprising a block having a slottherein of suflicient extent to allow the lever to rockindependently ofthe block as the ball increases in diametergpower means to move theblock suciently to rock the lever and move the ball out of contact withthe drum and time'V controlled means to actuate the power means.

5. A ball winding machine comprising an elongated ball winding drum,means to rotate the drum and at the same time to reciprocate it axially,a pivoted lever in the machine having one end thereof adjacent the drum,a cradle 'onthat end'of the lever having a socket to receivea ball,yielding means acting on the lever' to hold the ball in contactl withthe drum, and means to rock the lever about its pivot to remove the ballfrom the drum at'the end of the winding'operation, said means comprisinga 'block4 having a slot therein of sufficient extent to' allow the leverto vrock independently of the blockv as the' ball increases in diameter,means to vary the effective length of the slot with reference to thediameter ofthe unwound ball core, power means to move the blocksumciently to rock the lever and move the ball outV of contact with thedrum and time controlled means to actuate the power means.

- 6; A ball'winding machine comprising an elon# gated ball winding drum,means to rotate the drumand at the same time to reciprocate it axially,a pivoted lever in the machine having one 8 end thereof adjacent thedrum, a cradle on that end of the lever having a socket to receive aball, a pivotal mounting for the cradle in the end of the lever, a linkconnecting one end of the cradle to the machine, yielding means actingon the lever to hold the ball in contact with the drum, and means torock the lever about its pivot to remove the ball from the drum at theend of the winding operation, said means comprising a block having aslot therein of suicient extent to allow the lever to rock independentlyof the block as the ball increases in diameter, means to vary theeffective length of the slot with reference to the diameter of theunwound ball core, power means to move the block sufficiently to rockthe lever and move the ball out of contact with the drum and timecontrolled means to actuate the power means.

7. A machine in accordance with claim 3 in which the said power means isa double-acting hydraulic cylinder'.

8. A ball winding machine comprising an elongated winding drum, means torotate the drum and at the same time to reciprocate it axially, amovable arm having one end thereof adjacent the drum, a hollow cradle onthat end of the arm to receive a ball core, yielding means to move thearm in one direction to hold the ball against the surface of the drum,means to supply cord to the ball core, power means to move the arm inthe other direction to Withdraw the ball from the drum at the end of thewinding operation, a lost motion connection between the power means andthe arm suilicient to allow the arm to move independently of the powermeans until the completion or the winding operation, and time controlledmeans to actuate the power means to move the arm in the direction toWithdraw the ball from the drum.

9. A ball winding machine comprising an elongated winding drum, means torotate the drum and at the same time to reciprocate it axially, amovable arm having one end thereof adjacent the drum, a hollow cradle onthat end of the arm to receive a ball core, yielding means to move thearm in one direction to hold the ball against the surface of the drum,means to supply cord to the ball core, power means to move the arm inthe other direction to withdraw the ball from the drum at lthe end ofthe Winding operation, 'a lost motion connection between the power meansand the arm sulicient to allow the arm to move independently of thepower means until the completion or the winding operation, timecontrolled means to actuate the power means to move the arm. in thedirection to withdraw the ball from the drum, and adjustable means tolimit the amount of lost motion to set the machine for the bare core. I

PAUL REKETTYE.

References cited in the nie of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

